Modernized helicopter



United States Patent [72] Inventor James Edward lrby [56] ReferencesCited Rte 145, Spartanburg, South UNITED STATES PATENTS [21] A I No 553229301 3,098,445 7/1963 Jackson 244/17.15x

PP- a 22 Filed April 25,1968 FOREIGN PATENTS [45] Patented Nov. 24, 1970704,590 3/1965 Canada 244/17.11 1,475,842 2/1967 France 244/17.1l750,975 2/1945 Germany 244/17.11 686,608 1/1953 Great Britain 244/17.l1126,866 12/1949 Sweden 244/17.11 [54] MODERNIZED HELICOPTER PrimaryExaminer-Milton Buchler 5 Claims 4 Drawing Flgs' Assistant Examiner-Pau1E. Sauberer [52] U.S.Cl 244/17.17, Ammey we1|ngmn Manning,

244/105 [51] Int. Cl ..B64c 27/00,

' 1364 27/50 ABSTRACT: An aircraft of novel shape and design which [50]Field of Search 244/17.11, functions efficiently as a helico ter and canhe landed either on land or in water.

Patented Nov; 24, 1970 3,542,317

2e nca. L INVEN'IOR. limes EDWARD 1R5) MODERNIZED HELICOPTER SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION My aircraft comprises a hollow vertical cone, basepointing downward. A cabin for passengers and pilot is disposed in thecone adjacent but above the base. An internal combustion engine isdisposed above the cabin in the cone and is provided with an upwardlyextending vertical shaft which is rotated about its axis (which iscoincident with the vertical axis of the cone) when the engine operates.

The apex of the cone points upward and is separate from the main body ofthe cone, the apex being secured to the shaft and rotatable therewith. Apropeller is secured to the apex and is rotated therewith to fly theaircraft as a helicopter. Means secured to the base of the cone andextending downward therefrom enable the aircraft to be landed with equalfacility either on land or in water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view but rotated through 90;

FIG. 3 is view through 33 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a diagramatic showing of my invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. l4,a vertical hollow cone has a base section which is hollow and containsthe cockpit 12 with access doors 14 through which the pilot andpassengers can enter.

An intermediate hollow section 16 extending upwards from section 12contains an internal combustion engine 18 with air vents 20. Engine 18has a vertical drive shaft 22 which extends completely through the conealigned with the vertical axis thereof and which is rotated about itselfwhen the engine operates.

A hollow downwardlyextending hemispherical dome 26 is secured to thebase and serves as a float whereby the aircraft can be'landed on water.Wheels 28 can be secured to the bot tom of the dome whereby the aircraftcan he landed on land as well.

Referring to FIG. 4, the aircraft is shown to comprise separate sectionsthat combine to produce the overall conical shape. Thus member's -24Aand 24B are shown connected to apex 30 and vertical drive shaft 22.Intermediate hollow section 16 is positioned along drive shaft 22,separate from apex 30 and houses internal combustion engine 18. Belowinter mediate section 16 and separate therefrom is positioned a basesection 10 whichcontains cockpit 12. Dome 26 is then positioned belowand separate from base section 10. Vertical drive shaft 22 passescompletely through intermediate section 16, base section 10 and intodome 26.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to thedrawings, rny protection is to be limited only by the terms of theclaims which follow.

I claim:

1. An aircraft comprising: I

a hollow vertical cone with its apex pointing upwards, said cone havingan apex, an intermediate section, and a base section, each of saidsections being spaced along a vertical drive shaft;

a cabin in said base section an engine disposed in said intermediatesection, said engine being connected to said vertical drive shaft, saidengine, when operated, being connected to said apex to rotate same aboutthe'vertical axis of the cone; and

a propeller secured to said apex portion and rotated thereby.

2. An aircraft as set forth in claim 1 wherein said propeller is formedfrom at least two elongated members which are secured at one end to theapex and when in operation extend radially outward therefrom and areequidistantly spaced from each other. 7

3. An aircraft as set forth in claim 2 wherein said members extenddownward along the outer surface of the cone when not in use.

'4. An aircraft as set forth in claim 3 wherein further including abottom hemispherical dome spaced from said base section along saidvertical drive shaft and extending downward to act as a float and permitthe aircraft to-be landed in water.

5. An aircraft as set forth in claim 4 further including a plurality ofwheels secured to said dome and extending downward to permit theaircraft to be landed on land as well as water.

